M*A*S*H may have officially aired its final episode more than 32 years ago, but M*A*S*H remains as much in the popular culture today as ever before. September 17, 2015 saw the 43rd anniversary of the commencement of M*A*S*H on television.

The 30th anniversary of the popular CBS show M*A*S*H was celebrated with a special 30th anniversary program on FOX TV in 2002. This TV special included interviews with the show’s creators, actors, writers, and directors, including behind the scenes footage and exclusive interviews. The hit show aired for 11 seasons and set the standard for writing, acting, and direction of an American comedy series.

Developed by Larry Gelbart, M*A*S*H followed a team of doctors and support-staff during the Korean War while stationed at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Uijeongbu, South Korea. Based on the novel M*A*S*H: A Novel About three Army Doctors, the show ran from September 17, 1972 to February 28, 1983. It earned rave reviews and had millions of viewers making it a success for its entire television run.

Part of the show’s popularity was its fresh approach to a timely topic in society – the Vietnam War. M*A*S*H found a way to tread a fine line of commenting on the issues in society, while not seeming to be protesting against it. M*A*S*H‘s early episodes were actually based on true stories from Army doctors. By depicting dramatic story lines often in humorous ways, M*A*S*H began the new genre of dramedy, meaning dramatic comedy.

The show was an enormous success during its run; the finale “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” was watched by 125 million people. During its TV run, M*A*S*H earned 14 Emmy Awards, 8 Golden Globes, 6 People’s Choice Awards, and 7 honors from the Directors Guild of America, among others.

Watch Alan Alda speak about the show’s popularity and the great talent of the cast and crew.

After the show ended, members of the M*A*S*H cast including Alan Alda, Loretta Swift, McLean Stevenson, Jamie Farr, and Wayne Rogers went on to star in various other successful television series and films. In 2004, Alan Alda was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role in the film The Aviator. Fellow actor Mike Farrell is deeply involved in human and animals rights issues, for which PETA granted him the Humanitarian Award, as ABC News reported.

The M*A*S*H 30th Anniversary Reunion Special was a special treat for millions of fans of the popular show, watching the stars come together after many decades. The entire 11 seasons of this highly-popular TV series is now available on Netflix, allowing new fans to enjoy the series and old fans to revisit their beloved series.